Use of aggregated groups for managing demand response resources

ABSTRACT

A demand response management system which may be used by utilities, independent system operators, intermediaries and others to manage operations of demand response programs relative to customers, clients, participants, and users of outputs from the utilities, independent system operators, and the like. The demand response management system may provide demand response signal propagation and generation from demand response events. There may be an aggregation of customers, clients, participants, users, and the like. The aggregation may be performed and managed by the utility, independent system operator, or the like, before a DR event is initiated and even before a DR signal is generated.

This present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/153,251, filed Jun. 3, 2011, and entitled “A System for Using Attributes to Deploy Demand Response Resources”, is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/019,943, filed Feb. 2, 2011, and entitled “Demand Response Management System”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/301,123, filed Feb. 3, 2010, and entitled “Demand Response Management System”. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/153,251, filed Jun. 3, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/019,943, filed Feb. 2, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/301,123, filed Feb. 3, 2010, is hereby incorporated by reference.

This present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/153,251, filed Jun. 3, 2011, and entitled “A System for Using Attributes to Deploy Demand Response Resources”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/834,841, filed Jul. 12, 2010, and entitled “A System for Providing Demand Response Services”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/271,084, filed Jul. 17, 2009. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/834,841, filed Jul. 12, 2010, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/271,084, filed Jul. 17, 2009, is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure pertains to utility resources and particularly to assessment and distribution of the resources. More particularly, the disclosure pertains to beneficial management of resources and their loads.

SUMMARY

The disclosure reveals a demand response management system which may be used by utilities, independent system operators, intermediaries and others to manage operations of demand response programs relative to customers, clients, participants, and users of outputs from the utilities, independent system operators, and the like. The demand response management system may provide demand response signal propagation and generation from demand response events. There may be an aggregation of customers, clients, participants, users, and the like. The aggregation may be performed and managed by the utility, independent system operator, or the like, before a demand response event is initiated and even before a demand response signal is generated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an interaction between a utility and/or independent system operator and a demand response resource;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a utility and/or independent system operator which performs an aggregation;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an illustrative example of an aggregation concept;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing aggregated participants being represented in the user interface of the demand response management system with a folder structure; and

FIGS. 5-7 are diagrams of screens which show how aggregated participants may be referenced and used in a variety of representative reports that are generated within the demand response management system.

DESCRIPTION

Effective resource is especially critical when communities are confronted with a scarcity of a resource in question. It may be noted that “resource” is a term that may have several senses or meanings. “Resource” may refer to energy, commodity, product, load, and so on. In another sense or meaning, “resource” such as a demand response (DR) resource may refer to a customer, a user, facility, and so on. In the first mentioned sense, it may refer to electricity, water, gas and natural resources such as oil. A definition of resource may be extended to include such things such as water quality and air quality. After all, adequate water quality and air quality appear necessary to support a self-sustaining environment.

Resource management, in both senses, may be necessary so that systems can optimize the use of a limited resource. Currently, there are various systems for managing resources in various environments such as buildings, apartments, industrial facilities, and computing systems.

One mechanism that may be used to encourage customers to reduce demand and thereby reduce the peak demand for electricity may be referred to as demand response (DR). DR may refer to management of the demand by customers in response to supply conditions. For example, electricity customers may reduce their consumption at critical times and/or costs in response to market prices. These customers may be regarded as DR resources.

DR programs may require that a utility and/or independent service operator (ISO) deliver DR signals to participants via a communications channel. The programs may relate to a distribution of resources such as, but not limited to, electricity, water and natural gas.

DR signals may incorporate business level information, such as prices, reliability and shed levels. At some point, from the utility/ISO to loads in a facility, the business level information sent by the utility/ISO should be processed and used to execute a DR strategy and program for the facility.

DR programs may take many forms. They may differ from normal rates and tariffs in that the DR programs are designed to allow the utility/ISO take specific actions to influence the load profiles of facilities that participate in the DR programs at peak consumption times or periods on a grid. The peak consumption periods may cause critical grid reliability issues which should be addressed, but they may also trigger economic factors where the price of electricity or other power commodity reaches a critical level which may be ameliorated by reducing the overall consumption on the grid during those periods. The critical periods, in which the utility/ISO needs to influence a load profile of a facility, may be referred to as DR events.

A manner in which a utility/ISO may influence a load profile of a facility is to send out a DR signal which is specific to the DR event. DR signals may contain information related to business, controlling loads, and so on. There may be an automated DR where the DR signals that are sent out by the utility/ISO are responded to in an automated fashion. Loads within a facility may ultimately be affected by DR events via DR signals to which the facility acts upon or responds. The term “facility” may refer to virtually any location in which there are loads influenced by DR events. Where there are such loads may be regarded as a “DR resource”. The term “utility” may be used in a general sense to refer to a utility, independent system operator, service provider, and the like.

To provide a context for an aggregation approach, the present disclosure reveals an implementation of DR signals within a “demand response management system” (DRMS) 20 on a diagram of FIG. 1. System 20 and associated software may be effected and operated with one or more computers/controllers (controllers) 11, 12 and respective connections. The DRMS may be a system that is used by utilities/ISO's to manage the operation of DR programs. A focus of the DRMS may be on the operational aspects of managing the selection, signaling and monitoring of the DR resources that are participating in DR programs. The DRMS may be specifically designed to manage operations of automated DR programs.

There may be various types of interactions that might occur between the utility/ISO and a DR resource as part of a DR program. FIG. 1 is a diagram of an example interaction between a utility/ISO 11 and a DR resource (customer) 12. There may be DR signals 13 going from utility/ISO 11 to DR resource 12. There may be DR resource information 14, such as load measurements, going from DR resource 12 to utility/ISO 11.

Terms such as customer, client, user, participant, DR resource, and like terms, may be used, interchangeably or distinct from one another, depending on a context of a pertinent portion of a description or a claim.

A description of DR signals 13 may be noted. At a highest level, there may often be some sort of grid condition, be it economic or grid reliability in nature, which triggers a so-called DR event that requires some sort of interaction between the utility/ISO 11 and its customers 12. This interaction may eventually trigger some sort of load control taking place at a customer's facility. The interaction between the utility/ISO 11 and the customer 12 may be mediated by DR signals 13 and DR resource signals 14, i.e., information such as measurements. Signals 13 and 14 may represent communications between utility/ISO 11, and the DR resource or customer 12. Information contained within DR signals 13 may dictate where much of the decision-making takes place relative to, for example, in how the initial grid condition, which triggered the DR event, results in the eventual load control.

A computer or controller may incorporate one or more inputs, a processor, a user interface incorporating a keyboard, a display and a touch screen, a memory, external connections such as an internet, one or more outputs, and so forth. The computer may be utilized with virtually all items in and pertinent to FIGS. 1-7.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an example system 40 showing a utility/ISO/aggregator 58 which provides DR signals 32 to a DR resource/aggregator 34 and receives DR resource information 33, such as load measurements, from DR resource/aggregator 34. Utility/ISO/aggregator 58 may also provide DR signals 55 to a DR resource/aggregator 57 and receive DR resource information 56, such as the load measurement signals, from DR resource/aggregator 57. Utility/ISO/aggregator 58 may further send DR signals to other DR resource/aggregators and receive DR resource information from those DR resource/aggregators. Since an objective of utility/ISO/aggregator 58 is to spread the DR response among several different DR resource/aggregators 34, 57, and so on, in a manner which best suits business objectives, it is not necessarily in the best interest to directly pass on the DR signals 13 (FIG. 1) from a utility/ISO 11 to, for instance, the DR resources 34, 57, and so on. Utility/ISO/aggregator 58 may instead either pass on some modified form of a general DR signal or perform direct load control with the DR resource/aggregators 34, 57, and so on. If utility/ISO/aggregator 58 is performing direct load control; then, for instance, DR signals 32, 55 sent to the DR resource/aggregators 34, 57 will not necessarily have the same form as if the DR signals were received from just the utility/ISO 11. On the other hand, if utility/ISO/aggregator 58 passes on information, such as price and reliability, in DR signals 32, 55 much like the DR signals received from just a utility/ISO 11, then DR signals 32, 55 sent to the DR resource/aggregators may have the same form but differ in content depending on how utility/ISO/aggregator 58 determines that the specific DR resources/aggregators 34, 57 should respond, particularly such as in terms of DR resource information 33, 56, for instance, such as load measurements.

Utility/ISO/aggregator 58 may treat various DR resources, such as resources 34 and 57, as one DR resource at utility/ISO/aggregator 58, in accordance with the aggregation approach as discussed herein. Similarly, DR resource/aggregator 34 may also act as an aggregator for DR resources 121, and DR resource/aggregator 57 may act as an aggregator for DR resources 122. DR signals 123 and measurement signals 124 may occur between DR resource/aggregator 34 and DR resources 121. Likewise, DR signals 125 and resource information 126 may occur between DR resource/aggregator 57 and DR resources 122. In some configurations, DR resources 121 and 122 may also be aggregators for other DR resources and be in parent-child relationships. Thus, they may be referred to as DR resource/aggregators 121 and 122. A parent-child hierarchical structure may continue on as needed or desired relative to an aggregation of the resources.

An “automated demand response” (ADR) may be used in a number of different customer market segments ranging from the large commercial and industrial to small commercial and residential. The number of small commercial and residential facilities may typically be larger than the number of larger commercial and industrial facilities by several orders of magnitude. With so many potential customers, it can be burdensome for the operators of the ADR programs to have to deal with all of them as individual entities within the demand response management system.

In addition, there may be customers such as big box retailers that have a number of locations which the retailers need to manage as part of a single portfolio of resources.

The present approach may simplify the management of large numbers of customers by facilitating a creation of aggregated customer groups within the DRMS where each group can be treated as a single entity for the purposes of managing and monitoring their participation in the ADR program. The approach may allow for arbitrary levels of aggregation where each node in an aggregation tree can be treated as a single entity.

In some systems, the term “aggregator” may refer to an entity separate from the utility. That kind of aggregator may receive a DR signal from the utility and then have to determine the customers in its portfolio that the aggregator needs to group, control and/or determine the ones to send signals. Such approach is not necessarily efficient and effective, particularly in cases of numerous DR resources.

In the present system, “aggregator” may be regarded as part of the utility. Aggregation may be managed at the utility before a DR event is initiated and a DR signal is even generated. A utility operator may use aggregated groups to help in the decision-making process of which resources to send a DR signal to, but also help in propagating the signal itself because if the operator dispatches to a single aggregated group then the signal would go to all of the resources in the group. If the utility has “aggregation” functionality in its system then there is not necessarily any need for a separate “aggregator” entity, thus resulting in a more streamlined and efficient demand response management system. DR resources may also have aggregation capability or functionality.

In the case of issuing DR events, the operator may be able to issue an event to an aggregated entity and the event will automatically be propagated to each of its child nodes. Likewise, in the case of reports, or the monitoring, an aggregated node may inherit and aggregate virtually all of the information contained within its child nodes. For example, if one were to generate a report on the electrical consumption of an aggregated node, the report would be the sum of the consumption of all of its child nodes.

Within the DRMS may be a concept of a participant (i.e., customer or DR resource) which is an entity that may participate in a DR program. The participant may be the entity that is assigned to DR programs and may receive DR signals from the DRMS. The participant may also be the entity from which information such as, for example, electricity consumption is collected.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an illustrative example 10 of utilizing an aggregation approach. Participants in the example may be organized into a hierarchy where each level in the hierarchy is itself another participant which is in essence an aggregation of the participants below it. There may be levels 21, 22, 23, and so on, in the hierarchy.

The present approach may implement the structure 10 within the DRMS and add attributes to the participant models such that each participant can be classified as a “parent” participant to others and furthermore can be classified as a “child” to other participants. With respect to FIG. 3, participant “North CA” 25 at level 22 may be a parent to participants “Store 1” 61, “Store 2” 62, and “Store 3” 63 of level 23, and may also be a child to participant “Big Box Stores” 24 of level 21. Likewise, “Southern CA” 26 at level 22 may be a parent to participants “Store 4” 64 and “Store 5” 65, and also be a child to participant “Big Box Stores” 24, and “Central CA” 27 may be a parent to participants “Store 6” 66 and “Store 7” 67, and also be a child to participant “Big Box Stores” 24.

A benefit of treating each of the levels 21, 22, 23 and so on, in the aggregation hierarchy as just another participant is that any of the operations that can be performed on a single participant may also be supported on any of the aggregated participants. The supported types of operations within the DRMS that may apply to both single participants and aggregated participants may incorporate: 1) An ability to issue DR events—the effect of this on an aggregated participant may be to issue DR events to each of the children participants; 2) Monitor usage information—the effect of monitoring usage information on an aggregated participant may be equivalent to the sum of virtually all of the usage information of each of the child participants under the aggregated participant; and 3) The single and aggregated participants may generate reports.

With respect to how aggregated participants are represented in the user interface of the DRMS, one possible implementation may be using a folder structure 69 as shown in a diagram of a demand response automation server (DRAS) participant screen 68 in FIG. 4. Structure 69 shows folders in a hierarchy of levels 71, 72, 73 and 74. Level 71 may have folder test3, and level 72 may have folders DEMO, DBP and CPP. Level 73 may have folders test35 through test39 and test50 through test54. Level 74 may have folders test45 through test49. The folders may represent participants, clients and/or customers. Various points or nodes the hierarchy may represent places of aggregation.

As noted, each aggregated participant may be shown as a folder with other participants being within that folder. Each of the participants in the folder may be a single participant or another aggregated participant. For an instance of participant aggregation, participants, test45 through test49, of level 74 may be aggregated into a new participant, test35 of level 73.

Structure 69 is shown in a drop down menu 70 of aggregated participants. A program participant may be selected from a list in structure 69. A window 75 of screen 68 may be for a “DRAS Customer Interface” (demand response automation server customer interface). A “Clients” button 76 may be selected and an “aggregation” button 77 may be selected to get menu 70. New clients may be added or deleted with buttons 78 and 79, respectively, for purposes of aggregation or disaggregation.

FIGS. 5-7 are diagrams of screens 81-83, respectively, which show how aggregated participants may be referenced and used in a variety of representative reports that are generated within the DRMS. One may note that a “Data Source” panel 85 on the left of screens 81-83 may allow a user to select either aggregated participants or single participants, but how they are represented in a report may be different. Screen 81 may indicate a use of aggregated participants in a report. Screen 81 may be of a “Reports TAB” with a “Filters” window 84. A row of buttons 95, 96, 97 and 98 may represent selections of “Client Status”, “Events”, “Usage” and “Participation”, respectively. Button 95 may be selected for screen 81. Time/Date Range 94 for start and end dates and start and end times may be shown below Data Source 85.

Data Source 85 shows a hierarchy of entities, such as stores, which may be illustrative examples, for screens 81-83. The levels of hierarchy may be level 91 with ACME Department Stores, level 92 with Store 1 and Store 2, and level 93 with DRAS Client 1, DRAS Client 2 and DRAS Client 3 of Store 1 and DRAS Client 1 of Store 2. Store 1 appears to be selected. Store 1 may be regarded as a parent and aggregation of DRAS Clients 1, 2 and 3, and as a child of ACME Department Stores.

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a screen 82 of a usage report showing aggregated usage for a Store 1. For instance, selecting an aggregated participant may result in a usage graph that is the sum of all the participants which belong to the aggregated participant.

FIG. 7 is a diagram of screen 83 that shows how selecting an aggregated participant may result in each individual participant appearing in the report. In this Figure, a case is shown where selecting an aggregated participant may result in each of the single participants, belonging to the aggregated participant, showing up in the report, in contrast to the diagram of FIG. 6.

Screens 81-83 also contain a block 101, the contents of which may be determined by the selection of one of the buttons 95, 96, 97 and 98. In Screen 81, with button 95 selected, block 101 shows a table 102, entitled “DRAS Client Offline Statistics”, having headings of client, # times, total time (min), % time and % during events. Examples of clients may include 1.1 and 1.2 followed by 0 and 0, 10 and 10, 5 and 5, and 2 and 2, under the headings # times, total time, % time an % during events, respectively. Clients 1.1 and 1.2 may be regarded as DRAS Clients 1 and 2 of Store 1.

Also in block 101 of screen 81 is a table 103 entitled “Offline Instances” with headings of client, date/time offline and duration (min). Examples of clients here may include 1.1 and 1.2, time information Sun June 13 14:12:33 GMT-0700 for each client, and 20 and 35 minutes under the headings client, date/time offline and duration, respectively.

Screen 82 of FIG. 6 shows a button 97 selected by a cursor 104 resulting in block 101 having a table 105 and graph 106. Data Source with block 85 appears the same as in screen 81. The date/time range 94 may show a date of February 1. Table 105 may have headings of Baseline with subheadings of Avg (kW) and Total (k . . . ), Actual with subheadings of Avg (kW) and Total (k . . . ), and Shed with subheadings Avg (kW) and Total (k . . . ). At the left of the data of the headings is a time span of an entire day and during event within the day. The data, for the entire day, show 50 and 1200 kW for avg and total, respectively, for baseline; 45 kW and 1080 kW for avg and total, respectively, for actual; and 5 kW and 55 kW for avg and total, respectively, for shed. The data, for during the event, show 120 kW and 480 kW for avg and total, respectively, for baseline; 100 kW and 400 kW for avg and total, respectively, for actual usage; and 20 kW and 80 kW for avg and total, respectively, for shed.

Graph 106 may show kW versus hours for a plot 107 of baseline data and a plot 108 of actual usage. Plots 107 and 108 appear to reveal a response to an event during a time span 109 from the 13th to the 17th hour.

Screen 83 of FIG. 7 shows a button 98 selected by cursor 104 resulting in block 101 having a table 111 revealing an “Event Participation Report” for “ACME Department Stores” as selected in block 85 which reveals the same hierarchy as in screens 81 and 82. Date/Time/Range 94 may reveal a start date of February 1 and an end date of June 14.

Table 111 has headings of “Client”, “Program”, “Event”, “Date” and “Status”. The client heading lists the clients aggregated as shown in Data Source block 85; however, a partial listing appears to be revealed in block 85 since one may need to scroll down to see rest of the listing of the stores and clients. Examples of data in report 111 under the respective headings for the seven lines may incorporate: Store 1.1, DBP (demand building program), 737, April 16 and OPT OUT in line 1; Store 1.1, CPP (critical peak pricing), 1245, March 24 and 100% in line 2; Store 1.2, CPP, 1245, March 24 and 100% in line 3; Store 1.3, CPP, 1245, March 24 and 100% in line 4; Store 2.1, CPP, 1245, April 16 and OPT OUT in line 5; Store 3.1, CPP, 1245, March 24 and OFFLINE in line 6; and Store 3.3, DBP, 737, April 16 and OPT OUT in line 7.

In screens 81, 82 and 83, one may export information by clicking with cursor 104 on an export report button 113, an export usage data button 114 and an export participation report button 115, respectively.

To recap, a demand response management system may incorporate a utility and/or an independent service operator (utility) and two or more demand response (DR) resources connected to the utility. The utility may perform an aggregation of the two or more DR resources into one entity. The utility may send DR signals as one communication from the one entity to the two or more DR resources. The two or more DR resources may send DR resource information signals which are received by the one entity at the utility.

The aggregation of the two or more DR resources may be effected at the utility before a DR event is initiated, and/or a DR signal is generated. If a utility issues a DR event via the one entity, then the DR event may automatically be propagated as DR signals to the two or more the DR resources.

The DR signals and DR resource information signals may be conveyed via a communications channel. The communications channel may incorporate one or more media selected from a group consisting of a network, cable, internet, satellite, wireless medium, wire medium, and other media.

The DR signals may incorporate business level information. The business level information may have one or more items of a group consisting of prices, reliability factors, shed levels, critical consumption periods, and/or other items of such information. The business level information may be for developing a DR program. The DR program may be a basis for the utility to influence load profiles of the DR resources which participate in the DR program at critical consumption periods on a grid. The critical consumption periods may be referred to as DR events.

Loads of a DR resource may be affected by DR events via DR signals to which the DR resource automatically responds. The utility may send a DR signal specific to a DR event to influence a load profile of the DR resource to ameliorate a detected level of a power commodity occurring during the critical consumption period.

An approach for managing demand response resources may incorporate providing a utility/ISO, providing two or more demand response (DR) resources, aggregating the DR resources into one DR resource at the utility/ISO, providing a DR event, and generating DR signals from the DR event for the one DR resource. The approach may further incorporate receiving DR resource information at the utility. The DR resource information may have DR resource information from the two or more DR resources.

The DR signals at the utility/ISO may be designed for the one DR resource. The DR signals may be disaggregated at the one DR resource for conveyance to the two or more DR resources.

The DR resource information may incorporate business level information. The business level information may have one or more items of a group consisting of prices, reliability factors, shed levels, critical consumption periods, and/or other items of such information.

The one DR resource may be a parent participant to the two or more DR resources. The two or more DR resources may be child participants to the one DR resource. The parent participant may be an aggregated node. The aggregated node may be a parent node. The child participants may be regarded as child nodes. The parent node may aggregate virtually all of the information contained within the child nodes. The parent node may be a first level of a hierarchy. The child nodes may be a second level of the hierarchy.

The approach may incorporate adding one or more levels to the hierarchy. An additional level may be added to the hierarchy having one or more child nodes relative to the one or more nodes of a previous level of the hierarchy. The one or more nodes of the previous level of the hierarchy may be one or more parent nodes to the one or more child nodes of the additional level of the hierarchy.

The hierarchy may be represented by a structure of folders. The parent node may be represented as a first folder. The child nodes of the parent node may be represented by a plurality of folders, respectively, within the first folder.

A system for managing demand response resources may incorporate a utility/ISO and a first set of two or more demand response (DR) resources. The two or more DR resources may be aggregated into an entity at the utility/ISO. A DR event may be determined at the utility/ISO. DR signals may be developed at the utility/ISO from the DR event for the entity. The DR signals may be conveyed from the entity to the two or more DR resources. DR resource information may be conveyed from the two or more resources to the entity. The DR resource information may be aggregated at the entity by the utility/ISO. The information aggregated at the entity by the utility may contain virtually all of the information provided by the two or more DR resources.

The system may further incorporate a second set of two or more DR resources. The second set of the two or more DR resources may be aggregated by at least one DR resource of the first set of the two or more DR resources.

The entity may be a parent participant relative to the first set of the two or more DR resources. The DR resources of the first set of the two or more DR resources may be child participants relative to the entity and be parent participants of DR resources of the second set of DR resources. The DR resources of the second set of DR resources may be child participants of at least one of the DR resources of the first set of DR resources.

A parent participant of DR resources may incorporate an aggregation of the DR resources. A child participant of DR resources may be a part of an aggregation of the DR resources at a parent participant. The entity, the first set of DR resources and the second set of DR resources may be organized as three levels of a hierarchy of participants. The system may be expanded by incorporating additional DR resources organized as additional levels of the hierarchy.

An application which is relevant to the present application is U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/245,560, filed Oct. 3, 2008, and entitled “Critical Resource Notification System and Interface Device”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/977,909, filed Oct. 5, 2007. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/245,560, filed Oct. 3, 2008, is hereby incorporated by reference. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/977,909, filed Oct. 5, 2007, is hereby incorporated by reference.

In the present specification, some of the matter may be of a hypothetical or prophetic nature although stated in another manner or tense.

Although the present system and/or approach has been described with respect to at least one illustrative example, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the specification. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications. 

1. A demand response management system comprising: a utility and/or independent service operator (utility); and two or more demand response (DR) resources connected to the utility; and wherein: the utility performs an aggregation of the two or more DR resources into one entity; the utility sends DR signals as one communication from the one entity to the two or more DR resources; and the two or more DR resources send DR resource information signals which are received by the one entity at the utility.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the aggregation of the two or more DR resources is effected at the utility before: a DR event is initiated; and/or a DR signal is generated.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein if a utility issues a DR event via the one entity, then the DR event is automatically propagated as DR signals to the two or more the DR resources.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein: the DR signals and DR resource information signals are conveyed via a communications channel; and the communications channel comprises one or more media selected from a group consisting of a network, cable, internet, satellite, wireless medium and wire medium.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein: the DR signals comprise business level information; the business level information comprises one or more items of a group consisting of prices, reliability factors, shed levels, critical consumption periods, and/or other items of such information; the business level information is for developing a DR program; the DR program is a basis for the utility to influence load profiles of the DR resources which participate in the DR program at critical consumption periods on a grid; and the critical consumption periods are referred to as DR events.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein loads of a DR resource are affected by DR events via DR signals to which the DR resource automatically responds.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the utility sends a DR signal specific to a DR event to influence a load profile of the DR resource to ameliorate a detected level of a power commodity occurring during the critical consumption period.
 8. A method for managing demand response resources, comprising: providing a utility/ISO; providing two or more demand response (DR) resources; aggregating the DR resources into one DR resource at the utility/ISO providing a DR event; and generating DR signals from the DR event for the one DR resource.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving DR resource information at the utility; and wherein the DR resource information comprises DR resource information from the two or more DR resources.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the DR signals at the utility/ISO are designed for the one DR resource; and the DR signals are disaggregated at the one DR resource for conveyance to the two or more DR resources.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the DR resource information comprises: business level information; and wherein the business level information comprises one or more items of a group consisting of prices, reliability factors, shed levels, critical consumption periods, and/or other items of such information.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein: the one DR resource is a parent participant to the two or more DR resources; the two or more DR resources are child participants to the one DR resource; the parent participant is an aggregated node; the aggregated node is a parent node; the child participants are child nodes; the parent node aggregates virtually all of the information contained within the child nodes; the parent node is a first level of a hierarchy; and the child nodes are a second level of the hierarchy.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: adding one or more levels to the hierarchy; and wherein: an additional level added to the hierarchy comprises one or more child nodes relative to the one or more nodes of a previous level of the hierarchy; and the one or more nodes of the previous level of the hierarchy are one or more parent nodes to the one or more child nodes of the additional level of the hierarchy.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein: the hierarchy is represented by a structure of folders; the parent node is represented as a first folder; and the child nodes of the parent node are represented by a plurality of folders, respectively, within the first folder.
 15. A system for managing demand response resources, comprising: a utility/ISO; and a first set of two or more demand response (DR) resources; and wherein: the two or more DR resources are aggregated into an entity at the utility/ISO; a DR event is determined at the utility/ISO; DR signals are developed at the utility/ISO from the DR event for the entity; the DR signals are conveyed from the entity to the two or more DR resources; DR resource information is conveyed from the two or more resources to the entity; and the DR resource information is aggregated at the entity by the utility/ISO.
 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the information aggregated at the entity by the utility contains virtually all of the information provided by the two or more DR resources.
 17. The system of claim 15, further comprising: a second set of two or more DR resources; and the second set of the two or more DR resources are aggregated by at least one DR resource of the first set of the two or more DR resources.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein: the entity is a parent participant relative to the first set of the two or more DR resources; the DR resources of the first set of the two or more DR resources are child participants relative to the entity and are parent participants of DR resources of the second set of DR resources; and the DR resources of the second set of DR resources are child participants of at least one of the DR resources of the first set of DR resources.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein: a parent participant of DR resources comprises an aggregation of the DR resources; a child participant of DR resources is a part of an aggregation of the DR resources at a parent participant; and the entity, the first set of DR resources and the second set of DR resources are organized as three levels of a hierarchy of participants.
 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising additional DR resources organized as additional levels of the hierarchy. 